Toy grasshopper



G. E. FORD.

TOY GRASSHOPPER.

APPLlCATlON man JAN- 7. 1920.

' Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

W/TI'JESSES A TTOHIVEVS UNITED STATES GEORGE EDGAR FORD, 0F OLDEN,TEXAS.

TOY GRASSI-IOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Application filed January 7, 1920. Serial No. 349,893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnome E. FORD, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Olden, in the county of Eastland and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Grasshoppers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to toys, and the purpose of my invention is theprovision of a toy adapted to simulate the hopping or jumping of aninsect or animal.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a toy of this characterin which the mechanism for elfecting the hopping or jumping of the toyis adapted to be released automatically after the mechanism has been setso that the toy can be placed upon a table or other suitable supportbefore it is actuated.

I will describe two forms of toys embodying my invention and will thenpoint out the novel features thereof in a claim.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view, showing in perspectiveone form of toy embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 1, with the operatinglever in the set position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the operating lever in theactive position;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the actuating lever;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form of toy embodyingmy invention.

Similar reference characters refer to simi lar parts in each of theseveral views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, Adesignates a body preferably formed of wood which is carved to simulatea grasshopper, its under side being recessed to provide a pocket 15 forhousing an actuating lever designated generally at L. As shown in Fig.2, the lever L is pivotally mounted upon the body A by a pin 16 securedwithin the body and extending into the pocket 15. As shown in Fig. 5,the lever L is of substantially rectangular outline with one end thereofprovided with a head 17 and its opposite end formed with a cam 18.Between the head 17 and the cam 18, a pin 19 extends through the .leverand about which is adapted to be trained a rubber band 20, as clearlyshown in Figs. 2 and 8. The rubber band 20 extends through an opening 21formed in the upper side. of the body A and embraces the end of the bodythe grasshopper. The rubber band is secured to this head by a cord 22which is wrapped around and disposed within a suitable groove formed inthe head. As shown in Fig. 2, the rubber band 20 contacts with the cam18 and is adapted to bias the lever L to a released position, as shownin phantom 1n F 1g. 3. The lever L is adapted to be moved manually to aset position, as shown in F 1g. 3 wherein the cam 18 is rotated aboutthe pm 16 as a center to cause a stretching of the rubber band and tothus increase its tension. The lever L is temporarily held in a setposition by an adhesive material 23 such as wax, pitch or the like, suchmaterial belng seated within the pocket 15 in the manner shown in Figs.2 and 3 so as to contact with the head 17 and to thus retain the leverin the set position.

In the operation of the toy, the lever L is moved from its normalposition, as shown in phantom in Fig. 3 to the set position, as shown inFig. 2, whereupon the head 17 is forced inwardly with sufiicientpressure to cause the same to adhere to the adhesive material 23. Inthis set position of the lever 17, the rubber band 20 exerts a tensionupon the lever sufficient to overcome the adhesion between the head 23and the head 17 after a short interval, thus returning the lever L toits normal position. As the lever L returns to its normal position, asshown in Fig. 3, the body A is projected upwardly in a manner tosimulate the hopping oi. a grasshopper. The effect is most surprising asthe interval between the setting of the lever and the releasing of thesame is suflicient to allow the placing of the toy upon the table beforethe toy is thrown upwardly.

In Fig. 6 I have shown another form of actuating mechanism which isidentical to the first form with the exception that the position of thelever L with respect to the body A is reversed and the rubber band 20extends through a suitable opening formed at the rear of the body withits ends secured to an extension 24. The operation of this lever is thesame as in the first form and the projection of the toy is identical.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of toyembodying representing the head of my invention, it is to be understoodthat the body A may be shaped and carved to simulate other insects oranimals and the mechanism for effecting the jumping of the toy variedand modified Without departing from the spirit of the invention or thespirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A toy of the character described comprising an elongated body formed torepresent an insect and formed with a recess opening out at its bottom,the head portion of the body being formed with a peripheral groove andwith an inclined slot rearwardly of the groove leading into the recess,a pin extending through the body transversely of the recess atsubstantially the center thereof, a lever formed as an open frameentirely containable within said recess and having one end formed as acam, a body of adhesive material secured Within said recess and adaptedto be engaged by the other end of said frame whereby to hold the latternorinally Within the recess, a pin extending across the opening of saidframe, an elastic band secured to said second named pin, extendingagainst said cam and through said slot, said band extending across thehead portion of the main body, and a retaining band located Within saidgroove and forcing said elastic band thereinto.

GEORGE EDGAR FOR-D.

